AND BEYOND looks the clear pick of Mark Johnston's four runners in the Group 2 Henry 11 Stakes at Sandown.

Johnston goes into the £60,000 two-mile south London showpiece mob-handed, fielding no less than four of the 12-runner line-up with Royal Rebel, the reigning Ascot Gold Cup holder, plus Akbar and Murghem joining And Beyond (2.45).

But the fact that Kevin Darley has opted to partner And Beyond leads me to believe that he is the most fancied of the talented quartet.

And on reflection it's hardly surprising Darley has stuck with his old sparring partner And Beyond, who last season famously landed Ascot's Queen's Vase in one of the most thrilling finishes of the Royal meeting.

It was a contest in which a large horse blanket would have comfortably covered the first five horses as they all passed the post in virtual unison. Darley's mount had appeared a spent force with only a couple of hundred yards to travel, however Kevin threw everything, including the kitchen sink at And Beyond, who responded in true street-fighter fashion to edge out his four nearest pursuers right on the wire.

Johnston is no stranger to success in the race, having previously prevailed with Double Trigger in both 1995 and 1966. However even the great "Trigger" cannot match Persian Punch's marvellous three victories in 1997, 1998, and 2000.

The fact that the nine-year-old Persian Punch is still going strong and will very likely dispute favouritism at the Esher course this afternoon is a testimony his amazing longevity and the skill of trainer David Elsworth.

Doubtless he'll be in the shake-up along with last year's winner, Solo Mio, nonetheless in what promises to be a race to savour, I still feel And Beyond has the class to beat them all.

The other big race on the card, the Group 2 Tripleprint Temple Stakes, has attracted a star-studded field of sprinters.

David Nicholls sends down both Bahamian Pirate and Continent, with whom he won successive Ayr Gold Cups in 2000 and 2001.

Clearly they are a pair of extremely useful speed merchants, although I'm not sure if either will be able to cope with Sir Michael Stoute's Misraah (3.20), known to relish the stiff uphill finish at the track.

Ultra-consistent Miss Damask (4.00) is worth a wager at Leicester in the Sir William Peel Fillies' Handicap.

Jamie Osborne's four-year-old enjoyed a fruitful all-weather campaign and then unlike so many sand specialists, has since proved equally effective on grass.

There's plenty of Bank Holiday action over the sticks including at Cartmel where Forum Chris (2.15) can make a winning debut over timber for Sue Smith.

When running on the flat a couple of years ago Forum Chris (2.15) cracked the two mile course record at Musselburgh. Certainly no slouch on that evidence, he should be good enough to land the 2m6f Merewood Homes Maiden Hurdle.

l Eight horses were left in the Vodafone Coronation Cup at the five-day declaration stage.

Godolphin have four entries for the one and a half mile contest, with Ekraar, Exaltation, Kutub and Marienbard all in the field.

Mark Johnston could run Merewood Homes Yorkshire Cup winner Zindabad while Barry Hills has last year's Vodafone Derby fifth Storming Home set to run.

David Elsworth's Pawn Broker rounds off the home challenge and the field is completed by German raider Boreal.

Marcus Tregoning's Nayef was withdrawn as expected after his run in the Tattersalls Gold Cup last week.

l Sulamani maintained the family name as he took the scalp of Act One in the Prix du Jockey-Club, the French Derby, Chantilly.

Mark Johnston's Simeon, who took up the lead around the home turn stayed on at one pace once headed and held on for third place, five lengths behind the first two.

''I am quite happy with that," said Johnston. "I thought we would win coming round the turn but the first two went past quite quickly. 'Maybe if the ground had been softer it might have slowed their turn of foot a bit but it wasn't to be.

GRANTED an undisputed early lead and Gralmano (3.00) could run away with this afternoon's ten furlong Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar.

Tactics will play a major part in the eventual outcome of the £30,000 Stanley Racing sponsored handicap and Gralmano (3.00), who won over a mile-and-a-half at York last time out, will need to ensure that his proven stamina is allowed to come into play.

A funereal early gallop will be of no use whatsoever to Kevin Ryan's runner, consequently the man in the saddle, Fergal Lynch, needs to ensure the race is run to suit the selection. And since it was Franny Norton doing the steering on Gralmano from the front at the Knavesmire, the pressure is now on Lynch to judge the pace to perfection.

Happily Fergal has plenty of big-race experience and hopefully his nerve will hold. He also has the added bonus of knowing that Gralmano remains superbly well handicapped having been raised just 4lbs for his latest victory.

A couple of seasons ago the seven-year-old gelding was able to hold his own in similar company off a mark at least 10lbs higher, so in that respect Lynch knows he should have a few pounds in hand on two of his principal rivals, Trouble Mountain and Flight Sequence.

Mick Easterby's Trouble Mountain showed he was approaching concert pitch by chasing home the heavily-backed Bollin Nellie at Thirsk recently, while Flight Sequence, travelling all the way from Lady Herries' stable at Arundel in Sussex, staked her claim with a gutsy win at Windsor in mid-May.

Both look serious challengers, however if Gralmano is on top of his game, Kevin Ryan's excellent run with his older horses may well be all set to continue

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